CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (Clarksvillenow.com) A very special ceremony was held Saturday, June 11 when a Purple Heart Medal from WWII was returned to the family of WWII hero PFC Glen Kisor. The ceremony took place at VFW Post 11160 and was hosted by the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA), Tennessee Chapter 18-2.
Kisor entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and was assigned to the 71st Infantry Regiment, 44th Infantry Division and was killed in combat in 1944 and is buried in Wellston, Ohio. Along with the Purple Heart, Kisor is also a recipient of the Bronze Star, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge which are among his other awards.
The return of this particular Purple Heart began in 2012 when it was rescued by, Captain Zachariah Fike of the Vermont National Guard, founder of Purple Hearts Reunited. The nonprofit group works to return medals of valor to veterans or their families to honor their sacrifice to the nation.
When Fike saw the name on the back of the medal he decided to try to make sure it was given to the Kisor family. Local resident, Donald Fike, a member of the CVMA, and Valor Guard for the ceremony, said his son, has returned over 200 medals and artifacts to families and museums and still has around 130 to return.
Members of the Kisor family had traveled from Ohio to attend the ceremony in Clarksville. The medal was returned to PFC Kisor’s great nephew, Brian Kisor, a veteran who served 21 years in the Army and who now lives in Woodlawn, Tennessee.
One interesting fact in this story is that when Fike, with Purple Hearts Reunited first reached out to Kisor, he found out that he lived in the same neighborhood, in fact, right next door to his father, Donald Fike in Woodlawn. Fike, also a veteran, retired from the Army after 26 years of service.